Other GT Links

Tuesday, May 31, 2005

I did, my freshman year at Georgia Tech. In fact, I worked out with a guy who would later become "Mr.YellowJacket". It's where the hardcore folks workout. Of course when I sent to school, it was a pretty smelly, musty place. People didn't wear pretty outfits. There were very few females - an evern lower ratio than at the school itself. Evidently they've put some decent money into the place, but all for naught. Looks like thanks to Title IX (or at least that's what the school claims), the 14 LadyJacket volleyball players are going to take that space, and the 500 current members of the Barbell Club are left without a home. Seems fair to me - not.

Ran across this interesting tidbit about the 1960's Vanderbilt hoops program (their golden era):

1964Vandy 103 Georgia Tech 89. This televised game was more like an Oakland Raiders-Kansas City Chiefs game in 1968. One big fight broke out, and there were more elbows flying than a Pistons-Pacers game. This was the last time these two bitter rivals faced each other in Memorial.

Well, NCAA Coaches Poll voting will be a secret no more........... Coach Gailey has short-circuited the conflict for himself by by telling the AFCA that he doesn't want to participate. Don't blame him.

Monday, May 30, 2005

Here's the entire bracket......... Tulane gets the overall #1 seed, while the Jackets get the overall #2 seed.............. Did you know that Georgia Tech is the only school in the nation to earn a top 8 national seed the last 3 years? It's true.......... A tough bracket for sure, with Furman, and S.Carolina / Michigan on the other side........Jackets will open against Furman......... The winner of the ATL regional will play the winner of the Knoxville regional, which includes Tenn, Austin Peay St, Wichita St and Winthrop........... Did you know that the state of South Carolina is sending a total of 6 teams to the NCAA Tourney? Strong............ The ACC sends 7 teams to the dance, while the SEC sends 9. However, the BullPups were not one of them.. Aaahhhhhh.............. Here's more on S.Carolina........... BaseballAmerica gives their quick takes on the bracket..............

Army 1st Lt. Tyler Hall Brown of Atlanta was killed in action Sept. 14, 2004, with his battalion in Ramadi, Iraq, 70 miles west of Baghdad. He was 26.

"He was patriotic, red, white and blue to the core, and we figured he could be president someday," said Jonathan Cooper, a friend and classmate at Woodward Academy.

Brown graduated with dual bachelor's degrees in management and in history, society and technology. He was commissioned from the ROTC program at Georgia Tech.

Here's more on Lt.Brown.......... Any words just seem so insignificant, but I think the most important thing we can say is........ THANKS!! We honor you for giving the ultimate sacrifice. Rest in peace........

In football, learn what's up with all the "flunkgate" players. Certainly an interesting look at what happens to people's athletic careers when things don't pan out as hoped. Nice to see these guys are taking personal responsibility for what happened............. The BCS Folks are still pretty clueless.......

In hoops, BJ Elder will visit Pepsi Arena next week to work out for the Nuggets. He'll be there will Daniel Ewing, Salim Stoudamire and others................ Here's more on Dameon Mason, who is considering a transfer from Marquette to Georgia Tech (along with about 10 other schools)......

How's this for an athletic combo - hoops and shot-put. I guess there's a connection, and I imagine this girl (April Philips) has a nice set shot from half-court....

LUKE SCHENSCHERWho is he? 7-foot Australian who spent the last four years at Georgia Tech.

Last Year: Averaged 10.1 points and 7.3 rebounds, along with 1.8 blocks in 32 games with the Yellow Jackets. Had a 7 point, 15 rebound, 5 block game against Virginia in January.

What Can He Do? Schenscher is a “long” player and that helps him as a shot blocker. He can score the ball around the basket, displaying a fine touch. He is also a solid rebounder.

On the other hand, Schenscher probably still needs to add some bulk. He put on 35 pounds while at Georgia Tech, but as an NBA centre, he’ll need to be bigger. He also has trouble putting the ball on the floor and doesn’t have a reliable jump shot as of yet.

The Bottom Line: There is a chance that Schenscher would be available for the Raptors in the second round. With the amount of talent in this draft, he would probably be a reach with their first second round pick, but might be worth a look at 58 or as a free agent.

In other interesting news, 2-year starting SG Demeon Mason (6'5") is seeking a transfer from Marquette. He asked Marquette to release his transcript to a handful of schools, including Georgia Tech:

Other names linked to the search include South Carolina's Ray Tanner and Georgia Tech's Danny Hall. TCU coach Jim Schlossnagle and Baylor coach Steve Smith have had their names bandied about, but with all those teams still playing, Texas A&M has not officially contacted any of them.

"Considering who A&M fired, it's not a surprise to see A&M going after the big names like that," said Kendall Rogers of RosenblattReport.com. "With all the resources A&M has to offer, it's not a surprise to see the big names putting their names in the hat."

Well, to say the Jackets took care of business is an understatement. The mercy rule was induced, as the Jackets took down FSU in dominating fashion, 18-2. Ok, good pitching, great hitting. Will it last? Jacket fans are less concerned with Sunday's final than they are post-ACC tourney. Which team will show up for the NCAA's???

Big men who may be available on the 8th pick include 7-3 Lithuanian Martynas Andriuskevicius, 6-10 Fran Vasquez of Spain, Brazilian rejection machine Tiago Splitter, and Pitt toughie Chris Taft. UConn’s Charlie Villanueva is extremely talented. Arizona’s 6-11 Channing Frye is an underrated athlete with lots of game whose value appeared to have risen of late. Georgia Tech 7-footer Luke Schenscher -- an interesting sleeper with an enormous upside who worked out for the Knicks -- may be available on the one the team’s lower selections

On Friday, the Bulls will work out West Virginia center D'or Fischer, Cincinnati forward Jason Maxiell and Georgia Tech center Luke Schenscher.

Here's another nutty mock draft board with Chris Paul the #2 pick. They have Jarrett Jack a stretch at #11 with the Magic. Here's what they said about Jack:

It’s a chance, but I bet Jack’s personality rubs off on the Magic and they decide to team him up with Steve Francis in the backcourt.

Interestingly the Utah Jazz are looking for a Point Guard, and they seem to want Deron Williams. However, they'll pick Jack most likely if they can't get Williams.

Now, here's the real interesting story. It looks like the Hawks will take Marvin Williams with their #2 overall pick, but that they are trying to trade up on their 2nd pick in order to nab Jarrett Jack:

NBADraft.net received word late Thursday that Atlanta will likely use their (recently won in lottery) second pick in the draft on Marvin Williams and not Chris Paul as first thought. Though the team already has Josh Smith and Josh Childress, and has more of a need for PG, the team feels Williams is by far the best prospect available.

The second part to this is that they have a plan in place to add a PG later in the first round. Atlanta would like to grab Jarrett Jack in the late first round area. A trade involving the Supersonics pick at 25 has been discussed. The Hawks would give up their 31st pick, the first in the second round, plus big guard Boris Diaw, who's skills are being wasted on a team that lacks scorers. The Hawks feel they could get Jack at 25, as teams in the mid first round have not showed him much interest.

The trade makes sense for both teams, as Seattle would add a passing guard who would fit in very well with Luke Ridnour and Ray Allen.

Meanwhile, it looks like Will Bynum is getting a look from the Cleveland Cavaliers:

Even though the Cavaliers don't currently have a draft pick (they're contemplating trading back in), it won't prevent them from working out players. They have workouts scheduled on Wednesday and Thursday at Gund Arena.

Friday, May 27, 2005

Just a heads up. I am heading to Hilton Head SC Saturday for a little R&R for the next week. We'll be there a week and the sun will do my pasty body some good. I'll have laptop in tow, but will limit the blogging for the week. So I will count on readers to keep things updated through the Chatterbox. I may also post a couple of questions for your discussion on a topic that could run a couple of days to keep things interesting............... Anyhow, best of luck to the Jackets in their quest to win the ACC tourney in beesball..............

Thursday, May 26, 2005

Tight game, but the right outcome - Jackets beat FSU 5-4..... Once again a big inning is the difference, this time with a 5-run 7th....... Matt Wieters gets win #2 in 2 nights. How about that for the freshman of the year!!!!!

One of our readers found this link with 3 more mock drafts (according to 3 more "experts" I suppose). They have Jarrett Jack going #18, 19 and 11.......... Just more confirmation that those who might hope for him to drop into the 2nd round (selfishly) are probably going to be disappointed.....

A nice article on the great builder - Bobby Cremins, from a Brunswick GA site........

To this day, wherever he goes, Cremins will be associated with Georgia Tech. That will never change, even if he coaches again.

And, there is a chance that will happen. But one believes it would have to be the ultimate situation to get Cremins to lead somebody else other than the Jackets.

"I'm not going to say never just yet," he said. "I've come close, but my legacy is Georgia Tech."

And his school – and its fans – are forever grateful.

I do disagree with one statement in the article. He says that for many Bobby Cremins will always be the "face" of Georgia Tech. Personally, I no longer see Cremins as the "face" of GT. I see him as the "spirit" of Tech. Maybe the "heart"......There is not a nicer, more honest, more humble man and his legacy will last. For those of us lucky enough to be there and experience it, it was special. I love that we have a "legend" who will forever be linked to GT. We have Dodd in football and Cremins in hoops and Ciraldo on the mic...... The face of Georgia Tech - that's Coach Gailey and Coach Hewitt. They are today's representation.

Congrats to Tyler Greene, voted 1st Team All-American by USA Today Sports Weekly.............. We knew that Matt Wieters was invited to the Team USA Team Trials. He was among the initial group invited. Now the 2nd group has been released, and includes another Tech standout, Wes Hodges....... Here's more on Hodges specifically.... CONGRATS TO ALL!!!!

Well, I hesitate to post stuff like this, but I will preface it by saying it's just a rumor from "a source" over at the Hive:

Extremely reliable sources indicate that Joe Anoai is progressing very well in his post operative rehab. Joe`s problem was with a tendon in the shoulder joint - not a torn bicep as has been rumored.

The tendon was being irritated by scar tissue, small bone chips, etc. which were cleaned out arthroscopically (sp). Joe is currently lifting weights with the shoulder, altho nothing heavy at this point. My source says nothing forseen should prevent him from starting against AU.

Nice article (might be premium) on Eric Patterson from Scout.com. I want to post one quote:

"For me, going to college was really a no-brainer," Patterson said. "I was not ready to go right out of high school and play pro ball. Going to college really helped me out. I improved tremendously in my three years at Georgia Tech."

Recruits take note........... Over at MLB.com, there is a story on 3 of our draft bound current players - Tyler Greene, Jason Neighborgall and Jeremy Slayden..... Another note to recruits:

The trio should add to Georgia Tech's Draft Day tradition of excellence. Last year, 10 Yellow Jackets were drafted with eight of them signing Major League contracts, raising the list of alumni in the Majors to 39.

-- Joe Hamilton threw for 276 yards and three touchdowns and Jay Taylor booted three field goals to lead the Orlando Predators to a 51-40 win over New Orleans in the season finale for both teams.

The win lifted the Predators to 10-6 on the season and earned Orlando a third seed in the opening round of the Arena Football League playoffs. The Predators will play at New York, which also finished at 10-6 on the season. The teams met earlier in the year with Orlando taking a 72-60 decision.

Wednesday, May 25, 2005

If you want to buy the old Alexander Memorial hardwood floor, a mere $19,999 will get you into the bidding action over at Ebay (someone at the Hive found this). So far no bids, but here's what it says:

This basketball floor was played on at a major ACC college in Atlanta by conference greats in the 1980s and 1990s. Floor was replaced in 1999 and has been in storage since then. Floor is in good condition. I can give more specific information about the college and venue; I just am not able to use the names for advertising purposes. The floor is approximately 6,000 sq.ft. with all markings (boundary lines, foul lines, college 3 point line, etc.) The floor is labeled for easy assembly with locks to snap the pieces into place. This floor new would cost in excess of $100,000 plus installation.

And of course the pictures show AMC, so it's clear where the floor came from.

Ok, call me crazy, but I think the AA missed a golden opportunity. Is the floor in squares? Why not sell the pieces individually to fans for a certain price. Memento's, souveniers, keepsakes. Have certain ones available that are signed by our famous alumni...........That would be cool as could be to have a piece of the floor that was balled on by Price, Salley, Anderson, Scott, Hammonds, Harpring and more...... and of course coached by the Frank Lloyd Wright of hoops - the architect Bobby Cremins...... Of course, maybe there's some rich donor out there who just wants it for his private hoops court. That's what will probably happen. Won't happen with me. For one, I'm not rich........... Second, I don't have a private anything.........Heck, with 2 small girls, I barely have a private bathroom, let alone dreaming of my own court.......

The recruiting picture is getting tighter, as both Duke and North Carolina have landed just about every top recruit they were after. In fact, last week, UNC landed the #1 PG (Tywon Lawson) and the #1 SG (Wayne Ellington) in the nation by many ranking services. Now they are after the #1 PF and #1 SF - no kidding. However, they are certainly playing with fire though, as many of these guys are likely to end up in the NBA Draft - unless of course that 20-year old age limit hits. Then UNC will be..... well...... UNC.

As far as Georgia Tech recruiting goes, fans are getting a little antsy, as we are one of the few remaining ACC teams without a verbal commit. However, this is typical of Coach Hewitt, so patience is in order. We are still in the running for many top recruits, so things will just have to play out. Here's a blurb on our #1 PG prospect, Javaris Crittenton:

Javaris Crittenton of Atlanta rapidly is refashioning himself into one of the better big point guard prospects in recent seasons. At 6-4, Crittenton handles the ball well and is unselfish. He is excellent at penetrating the lane and finishing plays around the rim. He still needs to develop his understanding of running a team. He also is uncomfortable shooting when playing on the ball; he tends not to get his feet under him after dribbling off a screen. Georgia Tech and Wake Forest are among Crittenton's favored schools. . . .

Sheridan was not guaranteed a spot on the team and had to prove herself during fall camp. The hard-working 5-foot-3 dynamo quickly earned the respect of teammates.

"I had upperclassmen come into my office and say, 'This Sheridan girl can flat-out play. She's definitely going to help us,' " Earleywine said. "Christine is a little player with a big heart who plays with tremendous determination and intensity. I love the way she really gets after it."

Mark Price was inducted into the (state of) Oklahoma Hall-of-Fame, along with 5 others, including Barry Sanders and Thurman Thomas:

Price, a four-time NBA All-Star, grew up in Enid and was named Oklahoma's high school player of the year in 1982. After playing at Georgia Tech, he averaged 15.2 points and 6.7 assists over a 12-year NBA career and set the league's career free-throw shooting record by making 90.4 percent of his foul shots.

Michael Fontanez, a 13-year-old student at Garden City's Mercer Middle School, is a wide receiver who searched for more advanced lessons and learned them from White, a former Georgia Tech wide receiver who played four seasons with the Chicago Bears before joining the Atlanta Falcons last year.

"I learned how to take off (from the line of scrimmage)," Fontanez said. "Coach White showed me how to use my hands to separate from the defensive back."

White, who signed a two-year, $2 million contract with the Falcons in March of 2004, said he feels a responsibility as a professional athlete to give back to the community.

"Everybody sees the kids out here but they may or may not have parents in their life," White said. "We're just trying to help them fill that void and show them that people love them and care about them. That's the most important thing."

The former YellowJacket is "under the radar" when it comes to talking about the best pitching prospect with the Cincy Reds. He doesn't seem to mind, as he just keeps going out and putting up strong numbers. Maybe he'll get his big call-up soon.....

Talk about an interesting recruiting strategy. The hoops and football coaches have one primary option - you are either offered a free ride or not. With the track folks, it's a little different. They typically give "partial" scholarships, and the baseball team is somewhat similar..........Take the case of David Ford, who just committed to the Jackets last week after a "bidding war" for his talent:

Lawrence North High School's David Ford was the subject of an intercollegiate bidding war.

A senior track athlete, Ford signed last week with Georgia Tech. He got a 90 percent scholarship, a high amount in his sport, but only after he agreed not to visit South Carolina, where his sister, Lauren, plays volleyball.

When Ford visited the Atlanta campus, he was offered an 80 percent package. After Tech coaches learned he planned to visit South Carolina, they increased their offer.

"As soon as Georgia Tech said 80 percent, I almost jumped through the roof," said Ford, a standout hurdler who has season bests of 14.12 seconds in the 110 highs and 38.35 in the 300 hurdles.

Lawrence North coach Bob Potter noted why there was such interest: Ford also has a 3.3 GPA and a 1,280 score on the SAT. "When you combine a good athlete and a good student, schools want to put money into those kind of people," Potter said.

Great news - Greg Gathers is now scheduled for his kidney transplant, graciously donated by his mother. If ever a guy needed your prayers, Greg is the one.......... Also, if you feel led to donate money to help supplement his insurance, here's the info:

Here's one recruit - Neil Caudle - who has an offer to play football for Georgia Tech. He also happens to have an offer from ESPN:

Caudle, who is Spain Park High School's quarterback, and Smith, a Huffman offensive lineman, are two of a handful of athletes from across the country being followed by ESPN cameras as part of a college football recruiting series entitled "Full Ride." A third player from Alabama, Opelika quarterback Steven Ensminger, is also being filmed.

He passed for 1,624 yards and 15 touchdowns and rushed for 424 yards and four touchdowns in nine games as a junior before his season was cut short by a torn ACL. He is now fully recovered.

Caudle said he has been offered scholarships from Auburn, Alabama, Louisville, Michigan, Georgia, Georgia Tech and LSU. He has visited Georgia, Auburn and Alabama, and plans to see Michigan, Louisville and LSU this summer.

He expects to make his decision sometime after those visits. Until then, the recruiting letters continue to pour in - about 15 a day.

The crew followed him to the EA Sports Elite 11 regional workout May 13 at Georgia Tech and the Nike Football Training Camp on May 14 in Athens, Ga.

Luke Schenscher and Will Bynum are making the rounds. They both worked out for the Golden State Warriors:

Workout update: The Warriors held two sessions of workouts Monday for potential draftees. The first group included two Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets -- center Luke Schenscher, a second-round bubble projection, and point guard Will Bynum.

Shelton preached personal development to Miller when he recruited her out of Michigan. After deciding she wanted to come south for college, Miller considered most of the top schools in the SEC and ACC, she said. In the end, Shelton convinced her to be part of his building process in Atlanta rather than join a more traditional power.

"I just loved Bryan and Atlanta," she said. "I knew I'd have the opportunity to improve the most there. I just wanted to see how good I could be."

Fox Sports lists their top pro prospects for 2006 and beyond. Only Eric Henderson gets mention under "ten more that belong on the list"......... Here's the AJC Q&A on trying to help people understand the truth about the probation issue with GT Football......... Here's a jab from one writer - expect more:

* Georgia Tech is facing NCAA probation for the first time in school history after determining it used academically-ineligible athletes in four sports between 2000-2004.

Seventeen athletes.

Look, long division is a killer, and everybody makes mistakes. Given how difficult it is to tabulate hours taken and compute GPAs, a college probably could slip up on an athlete here or there. Maybe even several. But 17? Seventeen? Who was keeping the books down there, Ken Lay?

Bobby Bowden and Chan Gailey are both coaches not afraid to stand up for their religion, and Air Force HC Fisher DeBerry is taking it right to the government. Here is what Bowden had to say

"We realize we have other religions with us," Bowden said. "The coach has a responsibility to these boys to try to influence their spiritual life, their physical life and their academic life. ... We know we're going to get challenged on it, but that's what we believe in. I ain't gonna back down."

Here's a nice find by one of our readers (Kenny), as this site ranks Calvin Johnson as the 4th best player in the nation.....

4. Calvin Johnson, (WR), Georgia Tech--If you saw him play last year as I did, he is better than Braylon Edwards and is a freak of nature. Look at his catch against NC State and how he beat Clemson last year with his size and hands and then you will agree he is the best WR in the nation.

Now, I'm biased like other Tech fans, but if you actually put a reel together of every catch he made in the 2004 season, you would be absolutely flabbergasted and amazed. Phenomenal.......

Georgia Tech outfielder Jeremy Slayden has had plenty of injury problems, and now he has another, having had a cyst removed from one of his feet last week. The surgery is likely to keep him out of the lineup for three weeks—until regionals. Slayden, a redshirt junior, has as much raw power as any college hitter in the draft, but his inability to make consistent contact and lack of other tools has depressed his draft stock to the fourth- to sixth-round range. He’s gotten some comparisons to Jeromy Burnitz because of his uppercut swing, but scouts agree Burnitz was more athletic and better defenders than Slayden, who has little arm strength since a 2003 shoulder injury and who also has battled an ankle sprain.

Some type of editorial comment on scheduling Georgia Tech, although there is no link to the original article he references:

GT no nobler than AU or UA:

Regarding Mike Perrin's story on Samford and Jacksonville State playing Georgia Tech instead of Alabama or Auburn in football, I believe the only fair comparison would be if Georgia Tech scheduled some Division I-AA schools in Georgia.

Let's be fair about this. When it comes to scheduling smaller in-state teams, Georgia Tech is no better than any other Division I-A school. Kenneth Jackson, -- Winfield --

In other scheduling news, Ole Miss is busy scheduling ACC teams. First they ink a deal with the Jackets for 2010 / 2011, and now they are talking to Wake Forest as well....

To keep up with the action - here's the ACC Tourney bracket....... The Jackets are the #1 seed and will face either WF, Duke, VT or MD, depending on who will advance from that group to face the Jackets. In essense, those teams have to win two games just to have the right to play Tech. The Tech game will be Wednesday night at 7pm..... If we win, we go on to face the winner of FSU or UNC........

In other beesball news, here is a nice story on reliever Jordan Crews, with some good quotes.....

Also, I know there has been some debate on whether Clemson will host a regional. This article says that is a longshot.....

Clemson’s hopes of hosting an NCAA Regional appeared to be a longshot at best entering the weekend despite a strong second half. The Tigers won just 15 of their first 28 games, but have rebounded in the second half of the season and finish the regular season as winners of 22 of their last 28 games.

The Tigers entered the weekend at No. 13 in unofficial RPI rankings, and a dominating weekend that led to a second-place finish in the regular season standings might be hard for the NCAA Baseball Committee to overlook regardless of what the Tigers do in Jacksonville.

Wes Hodges looks like he's joined the company of 17 other players in Georgia Tech history - batting .400 for a season. He finished the UNC series 5-13, which should keep his average above the .400 mark. Here, the Savannah paper looks at his accomplishment....... Among other Jackets to accomplish the feat include Nomar Garciaparra, Jason Varitek, Mark Teixeira and Jay Payton - all great company for sure.

Recent Track & Field committ Alana Clooten, a standout in shotput and discuss, was honored after winning the state discuss title for the 4th year in a row. She was only the 2nd female to do that in Alaska state history. NICE!!!!!

Saturday, May 21, 2005

A very interesting post over at FanBlogs, who found a website that allows college athletes to go online and rate their coaches. The ratings are combined and you can see what players think. Having said that, imagine my surprise when I saw that Coach Gailey was the worst ranked in the ACC (of coaches who had enough ratings to count). Now I have one beef with Fanblogs - they combined the the % of players who said a coach was either "troubled" or "corrupt". They said that a quarter of the respondants rated him as "corrupt" or "troubled". That's true, but the breakout is 18.8% "troubled" and 6.2% "corrupt". How is he troubled? Well, how about pressure to win and an AD telling everyone that 7 wins will not do next season. How about personal health and a heart attack. I'd say those are pretty troubling.....

Sixteen players rated him and he got a 6.6 out of 10........ Now here's Coach Gailey's specific page....... He rated well in areas of stressing the importance of a degree, and treating players equally regardless of race. The worst rating - "Coach would embarrass players publicly that didn't perform".

Now, here's the head-to-head comparison with Mark Richt (you can enter a coach to compare). Notice that 18.8% of players said that Richt was corrupt, and only 9.1% said he was a father figure (25% for Gailey). However, 45% said that Richt was a mentor/role model (only 12.5% for Gailey).....

No ranking for Paul Hewitt, although Danny Hall does make an appearance in the baseball category........ However, under the number of respondants it says "pending", which really means not enough to be statistically significant.......... Funny, UGA Coach Perno shows up, and here's the comparison with Danny Hall. Note that 100% of respondants said Perno was corrupt. Wow! Of course, again, it was "pending" on the number of respondants.........

... for the 2nd year in a row. And they do it outright........... While the Jackets lost the first two games against the Tarheels, they took the 3rd in the set 8-1........... Here's AJC's blurb....... Here's the game two recap............So the Jackets end up 2003 ACC tourney chamnps, then 2004 and 2005 regular season champs.............. And how about Clemson - they swept Miami, which ain't easy to do........

Don't remember the name? Me either, but he was an assistant coach on the GT football team back in 1991 under Bobby Ross - his first coaching job. Now he's an assistant coach at the high school level.

Replacing Yevak as line coach and strength program director is Tim Bragg, while Wilson will act as his own offensive coordinator.

Bragg comes to White County with 14 years of coaching experience. His first job was as an assistant for Bobby Ross at Georgia Tech in 1991; he spent the last two seasons coaching linemen at Banks County.

Friday, May 20, 2005

Talk about perceptions taking a hit. Mike Knobler of the AJC is reporting that the series of events that led to the embarrasing academic lack-of-oversight was not actually "self-reported", but only brought to light after a January 5, 2004 telephone call to the NCAA by a "confidential source".

While both the school and the NCAA agree that nobody deliberately violated NCAA rules, these are considered "major" violations. Now that everyone agrees on that, school officials made the decision to increase the number of lost scholarships in the 2005 / 2006 classes by 6 instead of the original 4. That's a total of 12 scholarships lost.

Don't get me started on this whole thing. It's just plain embarrasing. Because of the poor oversight on their watch, a reputation that has been built on character and ethics and high standards over more than a century takes a hit. I know nothing was done willfully, but it's still disappointing, to say the least. All we can do is assume that this issue is taken care of and there isn't something hiding in our closet ready to pop out in the future. That's what happens when situations like this happen - doubt creeps in.

Having said all that, we must support the teams, and I still personally support Dave Braine, even though trust levels have taken a hit.

Jarrett Jack is back on the 2005 Mock Draft Board over at NBADraft.net. His position there has dropped to #27. But to show you the amount of credibility you should place in the sites, check out who they have drafting him - Utah. The same Utah team they have drafting PG Deron Williams with the 4th pick. Obviously a lot of deep thought went into that one....... In addition, they have updated his profile, although I'm not sure what changed.........

In addition, the same site takes a look at their version of the best players by position. They have Jack the #6 PG, with Will Bynum getting honorable mention (out of the top 10)......... This give BJ Elder honorable mention as a SG............ They give Luke honorable mention at the center position..........

In another interesting find, note that on NBADraft.net's official early entry page, there is a name from the past who has made himself available - noneother than Jim Nystrom. Don't ask me if he's somehow tearing things up over in Europe enough to actually get drafted.

In a strange, typical slip-of-the-mouth moment for Charles Barkley, he talks about Auburn losing the Georgia Tech two years ago in football. The setting - a golfing pro-am tourney with everyone from Barkley to Joe Namath to Steve Spurrier to Bart Starr to Jim Calhoun, and more. Here was Barkley's comment:

Barkley, the former Auburn and NBA star turned TV analyst, and U.S. women's soccer team star Cat Reddick were paired with Lietzke in one of the other marquee groups of the day.

"Cat was fantastic but when you lose to a woman, it means you suck at something," Barkley said in a politically incorrect moment. "There are two times when you know you suck at sports -- when you can't beat the women and when you can't beat the smart kids.

"Like a couple of years ago when I went to the Auburn-Georgia Tech game. We lost and I knew we were in trouble. We couldn't beat the smart guys."

... in the 3rd inning with the Jackets up 3-1. Play will resume Saturday afternoon.......... In other good news, Clemson leads Miami 6-2 in the 6th inning. Clemson was the first team to EVER beat that Miami pitcher (forgot his name) - they wre 30-0 when he pitched going into Thursday night....... One other note - during the game the other night a guy from BaseballAmerica was on the broadcast. Evidently he was fairly harsh on Danny Hall, ripping into the lack of post-seasons success. He went so far as to say that for such an elite team, we are the most under-acheiving program in the nation. Also mentioned that his publication has looked bad by ranking the Jackets higher than other's. Now, truthfully, he's not that off-track. Post-season success has been a very difficult challenge for the Jackets, no doubt......

Q: dave from maryland asks:where does austin jackson projected to be taken in next months draft?

A: Allan Simpson: Jackson has been a high-profile talent since he was 12, but he's always been a better basketball player. It looks like he's headed to Georgia Tech, where he's projected to start at guard as a freshman. He gave that impression to baseball scouts this spring.

Another solid tidbit to make Jacket fans feel more comfortable about the Point Guard position next season. With Zam and Austin, we should be solid. Inexperienced, but solid....

.... working out with the Knicks. A great article on both guys with a lot of good quotes throughout. Worth the read for Jacket fans:

"Not only is Luke a great kid with a real engaging personality," says Georgia Tech Assistant Coach Pete Zaharis. "But his work ethic is second to none. He's gained 40-50 pounds of muscle over the last four years and experts say he'll gain more. And standing a serious 7-foot-plus, he is a legitimate post-man with great footwork and a wide variety of skills. That makes him a real rarity -- and that should give him a great chance to make it in the NBA."

Tech's trip to the Finals did wonders for both players. "I know how to better deal with pressure situations," says Bynum. "In fact, I no longer feel pressure. Hey, this is basketball. Pressure is when you have three kids and no job."

... none other than our recently departed Cliff Warren at Jacksonville U. How about that - Justin Jack is the name, and he's a 6'5" wing player!!!

Jack averaged 16.6 points 9.0 rebounds and 6.0 assists as a senior at Friendly High (Md.), where as the only returning starter he helped lead the Patriots to the regional semifinals. He also helped lead Friendly to back-to-back Maryland 3A state championships as a sophomore and junior. Much like his brother, Jarrett, who attributes much of his success to Warren, Justin's strength is getting to the basket.

"I like the school because it's hands-on and they are ready to make things happen for you," said Jack, who also considered Butler and Ball State. "There's just so much energy down there and it's positive throughout the whole program. Everyone is enthusiastic about getting the program back to where it used to be.

"I know that if I stick with coach Warren and listen to what he has to say, I'm going to be successful. If I come in and work hard, and make the improvements I need to make, I can help the team right away."

"Justin is athletic and can really get to the basket," said Warren, who spent five seasons as an assistant at Georgia Tech. "His versatility will help us because he can play a number of positions."

So Coach Warren is using connections bigtime, hiring two former Jacket players and now the "little" brother of our own Jarrett Jack. Good for him!!!

Georgia Tech – A recent renovation and expansion of Bobby Dodd Stadium brought seating capacity to 55,000. This is a gorgeous facility with plenty of charm. I consider it the Wrigley Field of college football stadiums. When Tech is good it should draw well. Getting this place up to 60,000 will be plenty enough. There’s not much room to build out, so most of Tech’s future projects will require building up.

Well, 2 days ago, the NY Post said that Coach Hewitt interviewed with the Knicks for their head coaching job.......

The Post has learned one of those college coaches interviewed is Georgia Tech's Paul Hewitt, a Jamaica, Queens, native who grew up a big Knicks fan................ Hewitt has told confidants at Siena he'd love a move to the NBA if the right situation arose.

Then Coach Hewitt flat out denies ever speaking to Isiah Thomas about the Knicks head coaching job.

Thursday, May 19, 2005

Ok, I caught you up on the two big topics (Hewitt / Knicks false rumors & the probation story). Now it's time to go around the Hive and catch everyone up on the little things.

BEESBALLHere's a story about Jason Haniger, a catcher who will join the team next season......... Good news - Clemson beat Miami tonight 15-5. That helps because as I write this the Jackets are losing to UNC 4-1 in the 7th......

FOOTBALLDennis Davis makes CFN's 2nd team all-defense. What? How'd that happen you say, with him missing last season due to injury. Well, he actually made CFN's "2005 All Welcome-Back Team". He's on the 2nd team.......

DB Dennis Davis, Georgia Tech – Davis’ return to the corner means an already loaded Tech secondary gets a little deeper and a lot tougher to pass on. Nagging shoulder problems limited him to just a handful of downs last year, allowing then-sophomore Kenny Scott to accumulate some valuable reps in his absence.

HOOPSDid you know there was a potential NBA lockout looming? Did you know the player's union has changed their stance on the 20-year old age limit proposal? Now it's a bargaining chip. Do you think this could impact Jarrett Jack's decision to stay in the draft? Probably not, but here are details........ I love it when "legit" news organizations such as Sports Illustrated post rumors from the NY Post, except they don't post the denial and retraction from Paul Hewitt..... Here's the Macon Telegraph version of Hewitt's denial....

TRACK & FIELDThe Jackets landed a top shot-put and discus thrower in female Alana Clooten, who also happens to be a top hoops recruit from a bunch a major schools. But track & field is here passion evidently, and so is Georgia Tech. Welcome aboard!!!!!!.................

GOLFWow, golf talent really does run in families. First we heard last week that Nicholas Thompson's little sister is quite the golf standout herself.......... Not only that, but Chan Song's younger twin sisters are already pro standouts on the ladies tours...........

TENNISUnfortunately the women's tennis season ended today, as they fell to Texas 4-3. Sounded like a strong effort. Congrats to an all-time best season...... Here's the AJC version...........Well, as a sport, tennis is starting to look more black-and-white, and our own Bryan Shelton has something to say about it........

"I think (Ashe's) success had a big impact on black adults at the time, and it got them involved in the game," says Shelton, who has been the women's tennis coach at Georgia Tech, his alma mater, for the past six seasons.

"And they are the ones having children. They're the ones getting their children involved in the game. When Ashe won it was too late for them to go that route, but not too late for their children."

Here's a nice story on one of Shelton's player's, Alison Silverio........

Jacket fans are asking themselves - why would Dave Braine tell the NCAA to put us on probation? We are one of a handful of schools that has NEVER been on probation. Why on Earth would be ASK for it, when they haven't even finished their investigation? Don't be naive - he wouldn't have asked for it if that wasn't going to be the minimum punishment anyhow. It's all perception. If the NCAA comes in and agrees with the punishment, it appears that GT took the lead, ferreted out the problem and fixed it themselves (which may be true). If we just wait until the NCAA hands down their punishment - trust me - it looks worse (and we were the ones who found the problem and brought it to light)

But these "perceptions" are for the sidewalk followers, sports fans in general - those who get their sports news from the USA Today. It does little to temper the frustration and embarrassment of hardcore Jacket fans. We are not happy about this - none of us. And now the divide among fans over the state of the athletic program at the school comes to the forefront once again. It boils down to two groups - those that want to give AD D.Braine the benefit of the doubt, and those who don't (and never did). It's virtually the same group that argues over keeping Chan Gailey or getting a new football coach. It's the same group that says Danny Hall can't win in baseball in the post-season vs those who point to the overall program success.

One thing is fact - under Dave Braine, the entire athletic program has been elevated to a higher success rate - in both women's and men's sports. He has hired high character coaches who are bringing in high character kids, and we are winning more often. Along with that has come some not-so-nice things along the way - letters to alumni after embarrasing losses, flunkgate, this probation situation.

So what do you want? Personally, I think we just have to weather this storm, accept the inevitable criticism, understand that we can no longer "throw stones", since we now have a "record" - no matter how minor it might be. I think we need to continue to support Dave Braine, all of our coaches, and all of our players. So we screwed up. Just don't let it happen again. What's worse - not having procedures in place to properly interpret NCAA rules, or having 10-15 players a year getting arrested for bar fights, theft, domestic violence, etc? Would you rather be at South Carolina or Tennessee? The only difference is that when a player gets in trouble, the school can distance themselves, and fans can point to the player, not the school. In this case it reflects squarely on the school - and all of us. So voice your opinions, but support your team, support the players - and also realize that inflamatory debates can impact recruiting and opinions of young men and women considering GT.

No matter what your opinion on how to handle the situation, it's just plain disappointing and embarrassing for all of us.

BACKGROUNDSo, how did all this get started? Well, we did make some boo-boo's and we do need to take our medicine. We used 17 ineligible athletes in various sports, thinking they were eligible. This was not knowledgable disregard for NCAA rules. This was a combination of poor oversight, poor internal follow-up and lack of procedural control aroiund exceedingly complex NCAA rules (that require staffs of people to figure out). Nobody in this situation was trying to break rules. They just didn't know it was happening. People misinterpreted rules, gave bad advice, and now we pay.

This will be the 2nd time in history that Georgia Tech was found guilty of "major infractions" (the other 1989 in men's tennis). Here is the recommended penalty from GT:

"......that Georgia Tech had proposed cutting four football scholarships each of the next two academic years, 3.9 men's track scholarships each of the next two academic years and 2.5 women's track scholarships each of the next two academic years. Track scholarships, unlike football and basketball scholarships, can be split among multiple athletes."

If the NCAA agrees, this will not impact our ability to play in any post-season events.

Wednesday, May 18, 2005

There will be some new voices working Jacket games this football season.

Former National Football League great Jeff Van Note and former Georgia Tech standout Rick Strom will join the Yellow Jackets' football broadcast team this fall, accompanying play-by-play voice Wes Durham on the Georgia Tech-ISP Radio Network.

Van Note will join Wes in the booth, while Strom will roam the sidelines looking for stories..... Personally I think this is great, but I just have this nagging feeling in my gut that it could be the beginning of the end for Wes Durham - by Wes's choice of course. Maybe I'm WAY off-base here, but is Wes a career announcer for the Jackets - a true Al Ciraldo? There is no doubt he is 100% THE voice of the Jackets, but will he stay that way? Would he ever trade over to baby blue if pappa retired? Are they putting the pieces in place for the future in case that happened? Again, I could be way off base here. Just speculating.

Wow - get out of pocket for a day or so and all sorts of rumors start. I just flew back in from Kalamazoo MI, (which was lovely) only to read about rumors of Hewitt and the Knicks, the Jackets on probation and more. Let's get everyone up-to-date on the Hewitt situation.

First, how did the rumor start in the first place? Well, it started with that rag the New York Post. Here's the article that started it all - "Isiah Keeping an Eye on Hewitt"

Now, Coach Hewitt is on the offensive, completely denying that he has even spoken to Isiah Thomas....... However, the it stills seems a matter of "when", not "if":

"To say that (NBA) is my destination job is very much overstating it," Hewitt said. "At this time in my life, I see myself as a college coach. And I love Atlanta."

Hewitt has three young daughters. Taking on the rigors of an NBA job while having young children is one of the primary reasons he has elected to put that goal on hold.

The key point is this - the NY Post article says Hewitt interviewed with the Knicks, and Hewitt says that is flat-out false. We all know that someday in the future when his daughters are more grown up that we are likley to lose him to the NBA. But until that time, let's enjoy Coach Hewitt and all the great things he is doing with the program.

Tuesday, May 17, 2005

Well, the Buck Fredrick situation got Gregg Doyel thinking about other famous package deals - and here is his list........... Meanwhile, the rest of the media is catching up to the fact that Zam Fredrick is staying......... The State.......

"It has always been that way. He has always been staying," Hewitt said. "I'm glad he's staying. He came back, started summer school (Monday), and I'm looking forward to working with him next fall."

In other Hoops news, Coach Hewitt spoke to the Augusta alumni group last night. Nothing too new, other than he has a decided lean in his comments that confirm what we don't want to hear - that Jacket fans need to start preparing for life after Jarrett Jack. Come on people, I cannot believe that 40% of the people who voted in the new poll (lower right column) think he's coming back. Chances are slim and none, and both slim and none have left a week ago. It really comes down to this - if he's a 1st round lcok he's gone. If a team promises he is their guy, he's gone. And folks, he ain't dropping to the 2nd round. So I'd like to introduce your new PG tandem - Zam Fredrick and Austin Jackson. Get used to it...............

In the ACC, ain't it great when UNC doesn't always get who they wanted? It happened this week, as they lost out on 2005 recruit Uche Echefu, who is headed to FSU. Old L.Hamilton sure can land some talent. Too bad he doesn't seem to be able to develop it. But hey, here's to better ACC balance and beating each other up even more. And here's to Carolina losing out for once......

Nice story on BJ Elder working out for the Knicks. No word as to what the Knicks' brass thought, but Elder thinks he did ok - not great - but ok. As to his fit in the NBA:

"I'm first and foremost a catch-and-shoot player who also goes to the post strong," he says. "But I'm really working on my ball-handling right now. I'm told the NBA sees me primarily as a combo-guard."

Also note that two more Jacket players will be working out for the Knicks soon, although it does name them.......

Monday, May 16, 2005

We all like to talk about those kids who leave early and it turns out to be a terrible mistake. What about those kids who SHOULD have left early, but chose to stay around, only to watch their stock plummet? Well, NBADraft.net takes a look at these caution stories, and they include one from Georgia Tech. Most should know it well - James Forest.

James Forest 6-8 PF Georgia Tech

Forest was always a bit of a tweener, with power forward skills, but at 6-7 1/2 lacked the height to be a high draft pick. He was a top 5 recruit in the nation coming out of high school and averaged close to 20 points in his sophomore and junior seasons at Georgia Tech. He returned for his senior year and his stats dipped significantly (under 14 ppg.) and he went undrafted in the 1995 draft. He went from a likely late first rounder in his junior year to undrafted his senior year. Forest has played professional ball in Italy and Greece for most of the past 10 years. He finished the past season in the Italian second division with Fabriano.

How does a 6'10" go from relative unknown on the summer circuit to all-of-the-sudden getting an offer and accepting to be the next bigman for the Arizona Wildcats? Read here to find out. And guess what - he's from the Atlanta area - right under our noses - Jordan Hill. I don't know what type of talent he has, but can 3 weeks result in a player "blowing up". Evidently so...... Did Lute Olsen get the "next big thing" and a "hidden gem", or did he get bamboozled and hoodwinked by seeing a once-in-a-lifetime performance. One thing we know for sure - he's 6'10", and you know the saying about height.......

Come on lately? That's one way to put it," said Dave Telep, a recruiting analyst for Scout.com. "How about the last three weeks?"

Telep saw Hill play at least twice.

"He's long and athletic," Telep said. "Arizona just happened to be there when (he) started to flash a little bit.

... per the Macon Telegraph. Good news and I hope that his personal situation with his father is a good one. But even Coach Hewitt was guarded with his words, with the article saying that Coach Hewitt "expressed hope" that the situation is over. So what was the final kicker to stay? Do you think the fact that BOTH his parents got involved in the Sunday meeting with Coach Hewitt played a factor? Always have to remember mamma......... Any way, I am really glad that Buck has decided to stay. I don't think he'll regret it.......

All of this comes prior to Jarrett Jack's final decision about coming back or not. Speaking of that, there is a huge divide around people's beliefs about what Jack will do. Interestinly, most people feel pretty confident in their opinion. For example, I feel strongly in mine that he will stay in the draft. Other people and sites are confident that he is coming back - for example NBADraft.net has moved him from the 2005 mock draft to the 2006 mock draft board. That was not an accident. We all now know that Jack enjoys his college life and seems value his education more than many with his talent. Either way, Jarrett is right - he can't lose.

Well, strong hitting, strong pitching, the perfect combination headed into the post-season. The Jackets down VaTech for the series sweep, winning 11-1 on Sunday. Greene knocks a granny and Wieters goes deep again with a 3-run shot.

The Jackets outscore VaTech 48-3 in the series, as pointed out by GTMiata. Just incredible. More importantly, the Jackets have clinched no lower than 2nd place in the ACC and have a "magic number" of 2 wins needed to clinch the ACC title. Virginia really helped us out by beating Miami 4-3 today as well.

SOFTBALLThe LadyJackets are ACC Champs!!!!! Not only that, Jessica Sallinger pitches the complete game shutout and take sole possesion of the all-time win mark in ACC history with 108. Just amazing. Bigtime props to the ladies!!!....... Tonight at 7:30 on ESPNNews you can check out the NCAA selection show and find out who the lady Jackets will be matched up against.....

HOOPSWant to read a gushing review of Jarrett Jack and his game - go here. Couldn't be a nicer write-up anywhere on the net, although I'm sure they have himi a bit high in the top 10. But hey - that would be fantasitc for him.......... If you wanted to enter your name into the NBA Draft, too bad. The dealine has now passed. So it's in the hands of the NBA Scouts to figure out which of the 400 kids who have declared actually can play...... Here's a story on the draft, including mention of Jack........ To show you how bizarre this draft thing gets, check out this story.........

Hey, Mark Price was inducted into the Georgia Sports Hall-of-Fame, although it gets scant mention anywhere. Or maybe this is an old reference?

Clendenon was not the only inductee to thank his father. Former Georgia Tech basketball and 12-year NBA veteran Mark Price cited his father as "his idol," and the reason he was so successful. Joking about his height, Prize joked that he would have been better suited to play baseball or golf.

"My size probably fits those sports better," said the 6-foot Price.

FOOTBALLRemember Nathan Burton? Well, he only finished his football career in 2004, but he happens to be joining the Jackets to embark on his real passion - coaching. Looks like Jon Tenuta is going to have an understudy, and it seems that Tenuta thinks he has potential. Looks like he'll be starting with the grunt work, or whatever the staff wants him to do. Welcome back Nathan!!.................. Well, the Citrus Bowl will be played next season, but there won't be an ACC team in it........ Nice interview iwth Ken Whisenhunt done by the School of Civil Engineering........ Georgia just got a bigtime commit from a QB Matthew Stafford out of Texas. Why does this matter to us? Well, it gives us a stronger chance with some QB's in the southeast who are looking at both schools.......... Incoming freshman football player Tony Clark is also a track standout, and finished the GA High School Track & Field Championships with a 4th place finish in the longjump and 5th place in the 100m dash, with a time of 10.99 seconds........

What does Chan Gailey have to say about the ethical character of our players? In this article on off-season hoolligans, he says this:

Shula and Georgia Tech coach Chan Gailey come from NFL backgrounds, where coaches weren't held responsible for their players' off-the-field behavior. Shula is considering starting a mandatory team-wide character development program this fall based closely on the one Richt uses at Georgia, with sessions on moral reasoning and values. Gailey teaches a seven-week leadership class each fall to his entire freshman class.

"Even in the NFL, I threatened to do it," Gailey said. "In the NFL, you can't make it mandatory."

Gailey's players generally have steered clear of brushes with the law, but he doesn't take the credit.

"The thing about Tech guys, our guys are pretty intelligent," Gailey said. "They understand right from wrong. They don't have to memorize it. They understand it. They're not all angels. They don't all sing in the choir, but I think they have a good understanding."

BEESBALLJackets rout VaTech 27-2....... Great news - Virginia beats Miami, which puts the tiniest bit of breathing room for the conference race in the Jackets favor......... How would you like to be 17 years old, recruited by the top schools - including Georgia Tech - then find out you need Tommy John surgury? That's what happened to Chris Huseby.....

TRACK & FIELDWell, Chaunte Howard does it again. She ties here world record mark at 6'4" in her latest meet.....

Saturday, May 14, 2005

I had some thoughts. A dangerous thing for sure. But here are some ideas to get you involved even more with the 'Blog:

1. "Reader Takes". If you want to send me your "take" on a particular subject as it relates to Georgia Tech, I will occasionally post your thoughts in the main column. I can't guarantee every time, but it's another way to involve our readers............. For example, some schools do not require an athlete to have graduated from the university to get his or her jersey "retired". Georgia Tech does. Should it be that way?............. You can give me your take on any subject you like. You may ask - how is that different from the comment boxes? Well, you are limited in how long a message you can leave there. If you have some interesting thoughts and want more space, send me an email.

2. "The Mailbag". Maybe if there are questions or topics you would like to see discussed on the 'Blog, you can send them to me, and on some periodic basis, I will try to put them together and answer them. Of course, if it requires mounds of research on my part, don't expect a lot. But we'll see how it goes.

3. I encourage readers to send me emails with tips, rumors, stories, etc. If you saw one of our coaches at an event and have a story to share, let me know. Tech fans love the "inside" stuff. We already get a lot of mail from people with very interesting information. While I cannot share it all, much of it I can.

Well, Jessica Sallinger did it again. A 3-0 win versus Virginia, and now it's on to the ACC title game. This ties Sallinger for the alltime ACC win mark with 107. Can you imagine her breaking the record at the ACC title game? Here's where you can follow all the action...

HOOPSIn the Where Are They Now segment, guess who the new GM for the ABA Atlanta Vision is? None other than our own Dennis Scott. 3D goes management - fo'shizzle....... The local KY sportswriter thinks Randolph Morris is gone for good....... Here's more on UNC reloading at PG with Tywon Lawson....... Here's more on Lawson and some notes about the top players in the 2006 class.....

FOOTBALLHere's an O-Line recruit - Ramone Johnson - that is being hightly recruited and has an offer from the Jackets....

Coach Hewitt continues doing the rounds to all the alumni clubs. One of our daily readers, "Jay", attended last night in Charlotte NC and heard what Coach had to say. Here's a recap of some things we can post here:

Hello - I'm a fellow GT grad (1982 BIE), former member of the GT Track team (800m runner), and an daily reader of your Georgia Tech Sports Blog. You do a Great Job!

I was at the Charlotte Georgia Tech Alumni Club Meeting this evening. Coach Paul Hewitt spoke during dinner and here are a few things he said:

Does not know if Jarrett Jack will be back. He asked the audience who, by a show of hands, would stay in school over the chance of being the 25th pick in the NBA draft and signing a three year contract for $700K/year - only one person raised their hand

Does not have a replacement yet for Cliff Warren. He said that anyone in the audience is qualified, especially if they can bring in a seven foot recruit immediately.

Said that Lewis Clinch was the only member of the incoming freshman to call and wish him a Happy 42nd Birthday. CPH joked that he was positioning himself for PT.

Sees Alade Aminu as being a big contributor next year.

Expects Austin Jackson to be playing GT basketball unless he gets a big signing bonus to play pro baseball

Expects Zam Frederick to be playing basketball for GT next year.

Expects Luke to be a second round pick in the NBA draft.

Said that due to the knee injury, we have not seen the real Jeremis Smith yet. Watch out.

Expects to sign one more recruit by the beginning of the summer.

Said he gave Mario West a scholarship during a basketball practice session last year. West was hustling all over the court, wearing down his teammates, diving after loose balls, etc, when CPH stopped the practice and said, "congratulations, you've just earned a scholarship, now please don't hurt any of our players!"

I think it is obvious that many of these comments will beg further questions, but Jacket fans will just have to keep close to the ground to see things develop. For example, it is widely believed that the 2005 recruiting class is finished, but Hewitt's comments last night might lead you to believe otherwise.

Also, it has been reported by one of our readers in the chatterbox and on the discussion forums that Theodis Tarver's mother passed away. I certainly have seen no confirmation of this officially, but we certainly want to send our thoughts and prayers to Theodis in this tough time (if it's true)........

Thursday, May 12, 2005

Well, Scout.com has updated their class of 2005 and 2006 rankings. Interestingly, we went from having 4 "4-star" guys to a 5-star, 4-star, 3-star and a 2-star (Clinch, Aminu, Jackson, Bell... respectively)..... Clinch moves up to the #17 player in the class, and interestingly, becomes the top SG to NOT declare for the draft. There are 4 others - who have put their name into the draft hat...... All I can say about Bell moving from a 4-star to a 2-star is that he was injured his senior year and didn't play much, and he played for a low-key, low-profile school - and chose not to change schools to play in order to get more exposure.......